It is easy to decorate your home with travel souvenirs, however they don’t always fit into your space and give you just some nice summer memories. Often, after a year, you move them somewhere where they will simply gather dust. Instead, I was thinking about how traveling can inspire you and how this inspiration can influence the way you decorate your new home, or enhance an existing interior. It will bring you back to that particular summer holiday and you will be happy to see how this inspired your creativity.
image on the right Musee Nissim De Camondo in Paris
Traveling through Europe, it will be easy to get lost in one of the beautiful castles or grand mansions you encounter along your journey. These historic places allow you to transport yourself back to another century, making you feel as if you were a queen walking around through this place. There are countless details that will capture your attention. From the marble floors to the elaborated high ceilings, from a magnificent staircase to the exquisite furniture, each element can be a source of inspiration.
You can start decorating by integrating some statues, and create an elegant wall paneling as you would be in one of those palaces. However, you can go one step further by exploring ways to make a modern interpretation of this classical style without losing the spirit. The handrail you see on the picture above serves as a perfect example. Keep the colors quite neutral, and focus on using natural materials to create a timeless atmosphere.
We rush so much around the entire year. Between work, hobbies, and spending time with friends, our days are filled that we almost find ourselves on automatic pilot, causing us we loose a lot of meaningful moments. During the holidays we can live at a slower paste and observe the things around us more in detail. There is time to truly observe, not just a glance of something. The Taj Mahal serves as a good example. It is an immense mausoleum of white marble, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mugal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife. At first, we might simply notice a beautiful large building, in white, neutral tones. Once we taking a closer look, we begin to see a richly decorated inlay work made of marble and semi-precious stones representing flowers executed with wonderful perfection. The subtle hues and shades of the stones used to make the leaves and flowers appear almost real. The Taj Mahal is really a highlight when visiting India.
interior on the left via Design Tales - staircase Lanvin shop Paris by Frederique Whittle
Imagine a wall with a 3D effect that adds depth without overwhelming the space. It is very subtle, enhancing your room in an elegant and refined way. On your next trip to Paris, be sure to make a stop at the Lanvin shop, where Frederique Whittle has designed this captivating staircase. This creative approach offers a perfect alternative to traditional wall decor, specially if you are not a big fan of wallpaper. It is much more discrete.
Acropolis via Lasma Plone - CD Travel
Greek history, the Acropolis of Athens and its monuments stand as universal symbols of the classical spirit and ancient civilisation. Another place where you can feel completely transported to another century, stepping back in time. This monumental complex is the most striking ancient site still existing in our modern world. Once you climb up the steps you will be surrounded by centuries of history and have an expansive view of Athens below. Next to the Parthenon, the Erechtheum steals the show with the beautiful carved caryatids. Can you imagine that one day those building were very colorful?
coffee table via Digs Digs
The Greek columns will bring in an instead a touch of antiquity into your space. Natural materials and colors will help to integrate this unique detail into a modern setting. You can choose to add just a subtle detail or create kind of artist studio atmosphere by collecting more statues and plaster details. Those pieces can often be found in antique shops around your home town. They will add history to your interior.
Brittany, a hilly peninsula extending out toward the Atlantic Ocean, is a part of France with a rich and fascinating history. Among the many cultural treasures you can discover the beautiful lace work as one of the existing crafts still practiced today. The exquisite needlework can be seen on its numerous traditional headdress designs, worn by local people. In addition to the needlework, the Quimper faience pottery is also renowned worldwide, a craft that originated in the 18 th century, and continues to be valued. Brittany was a place loved by artist in the beginning of last century, among them, Gauguin is certainly the most famous. He made a lot of sketches of Breton girls, which he worked up later into his paintings in his Paris studio.
Giving your facade an exclusive decor with the intricate lace idea. Created in a metal laser cut, featuring large proportions, this classical lace craft idea gets a very modern look. The contrast between the more masculine building structure and this delicate feminine detail creates a unique fusion. I believe this is an excellent way to find inspiration and incorporate it into your design in a creative manner.
Tapestry is a form of textile art, woven by hand on a loom, featuring a detailed and elaborate scene. France and Belgium were renowned centres for tapestry production, and it found its peak in the 14th and 15th century. By the 17th century, paintings were steadily gaining ground. Traditionally, tapestries were designed to hang vertically on walls. It was an elegant and practical choice to decorate the walls in a mansion. Beyond being a genuine piece of art, tapestries served a practical purpose: since many houses lacked proper insulation and had walls that could feel damp, these wallhanging helped to keep out some of the cold. They combined beauty with comfort. Additionally, tapestries had the advantage of being easily folded and transported, allowing owners to move them from one place to another, from one palace or mansion to the other.
Using an old tapestry to reupholster a bench or cover a pillow was already done centuries ago, yet it remains one of the perfect and timeless ways to incorporate this idea in your home decor. Perhaps you can find a beautiful vintage piece at a flee market or antique shop. Or you can maybe find a local artist who could paint a similar scene on the doors of your dressing room or bathroom furniture, adding an artistic touch.
Visiting Switzerland or Austria, we will find chalets scattered throughout each region of the country. Originally, these chalets were used as seasonal farms for diary cattle, which would be brought up from the lowland pastures during the summer months. The herder would live in the chalet and make butter and cheese. Before the arrival of winter, the herder would bring the cattle and the fresh products back down. Today, chalets have become the ultimate choice for holiday houses and boutique hotels, designed to bring you in the perfect relaxing holiday atmosphere. These chalets are completely made out of wood, featuring a typical sloped roof. More decorative elements can often been seen on the balconies, or around the windows, adding a rustic charm. Weather summer or winter these chalets continue to captivate with their timeless appeal and cozy ambiance.
Villa by the Lake. pictures by Andres Balon via Dezeen
Villa by The Lake is a very beautiful designed project located in western Austria, created by the Viennese architect Alexander Diem. Intricate carved patterns adorn the wooden screens that surround this lakeside villa. The detailed fretwork references traditional building techniques native to the Alpine region. This project stands as a real masterpiece, demonstrating how a traditional architectural idea can be reinterpreted and developed in a very contemporary manner.
Are you decorating your interior or refreshing your space after the holidays, feeling inspired by your travels? Take a closer look at your holiday pictures, and consider how you might creatively interpret the colors, the patterns, the details and moods captured in them to incorporate these elements into your new interior design.
So enjoy your holidays and dream of refreshing your interior.
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